


It's Our Thing.

by eelora



Series: Fate made you mine. (Soulmate AU) [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Never Met, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, It Gets Better, Iwaizumi Hajime is a Good Boyfriend, M/M, Sad Oikawa Tooru, Slow Burn, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, and not a brute and really sweet, sorry Oikawa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-03-26 06:36:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13852116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eelora/pseuds/eelora
Summary: 'You don't truly start living until you meet your soulmate.'Then, what kind of life was there to live if you didn't have one?Tooru just wishes that he could love, too.





	1. Monachopsis.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the 'third' installment of the series. You don't HAVE to read the others for this.  
> I said I would write this a long time ago but I became super busy with exams and moving house so, yeah...  
> This story is still not complete, and I'm not quite sure how long it will end up being. Super sorry that I can't promise regular updates (I just wanted to get this up and posted), but I'll do my best!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _[Greek origin]: (n.). The subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place; not really belonging._

* * *

 

Souls are finicky things; each filled with a unique essence, but always adapting to truly reflect the person to hold it. However a soul is never born in a complete form, and is always searching for its pair – the other half to complete it. Sometimes, a soul may need more than just another, and may fester with the task of searching for two, three or even more harmonious souls. Each soul had a way of finding each other, a distinct means of connection that made it inevitable that they would meet.  

Whether it be in the hands of Fate, or by coincidence… souls are always chasing, and will never settle until they meet. 

However, Oikawa Tooru was an exception to this theory. 

At the prime age of twenty-two, one would’ve hoped to have met their soulmate already. Most pairings met in high-school or early in college after all. Unfortunately for Tooru, this wasn’t the case. In his mind, it probably never would be. Being a hopeless romantic didn’t quite help his soulmate-less predicament either. Every day he would go to the local park, and make a wish at the fountain. Every day – with a ¥10 coin in hand – he would wish for a soulmate.  

Of course, many would think the better option was to visit the shrine and make a wish there. But this wasn’t about asking for good fortune, or anything like that. This was a call out to Fate – maybe even the Goddess of Love if she was listening;  _why me?_  

He watched as the coin hit the water with a small splash, causing ripples over the surface. The water was a dark, murky colour so the coin disappeared as soon as it began it sink. An owl hooted quietly in the distance and he sighed. Looking up into the night sky, his mind drifted back to Hanamaki’s question.  _Don’t you feel empty?_  

That was the thing. He didn’t.  

Even though all the textbooks and articles would say a soul is never born complete, he truly believed the opposite for himself.  

People had described this feeling of not being whole, or like something was missing in their lives throughout his whole childhood. He’d never felt this way before. There was no missing piece, nor the buzzing need or anticipation to ‘complete’ himself. And there were no markings upon his skin, or any indication of who, where or how to find his other half.  

He’d even searched his predicament up online – but a whole night’s worth of research left him with a dead trail and the notion that he must have already met his soulmate. He had pondered upon it, but the idea was far-fetched since he’d met few people in his lifetime that stood out or had made an impression upon him. In addition to that, soulmates who’d met but didn’t connect for long periods of time would begin to feel incomplete again. The only people he saw on a frequent basis were his family and friends from school. But, they all had their established marks or connections. 

He had even taken a day off school once to visit a Weaver in Kyoto – someone who was able to see the red-string of Fate. But upon questioning, the Weaver simply took his left hand and stroked his ring finger gently, whispering a pitiful, “My child, you are cursed. I'm afraid there's nothing I can do.”  

So at the age of fifteen, Tooru deduced that he was mate-less. A dud. 

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out to find a message from Hanamaki, asking where he’d went. He frowned slightly, and dismissed the message. The pink-haired boy had finally met his soul mate for the first time in real life – he didn’t need to be there to witness it.  

Another blow to his lack of love life would probably make him snap. The idea that there was no one waiting – searching – for him, made Tooru feel insecure. Was he not good enough for a soulmate? Or did Fate have something against him? 

His vision blurred and tilted his head up to the sky, blinking back the tears. Simultaneously, his right knee throbbed with the reminder of yet another lost hope. Shaking his head at the thought of his past, he roughly wiped the sleeve of his jacket over his eyes and began to make his way back to his apartment. 

The walk was short, but it had calmed him down enough to put a smile on his face when greeting his flatmate. At the beginning, it was out of convenience and financial restriction that they happened to rent the apartment together. But time proved that they had similar interests and personalities, allowing them to become friends.  

“Oikawa, you’re back! Have you eaten yet?” A silver head popped up from over the couch. The TV was on, a rom-com playing in the background. 

Toeing off his shoes, he made his way over to his friend, sighing as he sunk into the well-worn couch. “Yup! I went out to eat with Makki. He met his soulmate today.”  

Sugawara immediately gushed, “Really? How romantic!” 

“He’s the owner of the new diner that came into town.” Tooru absently set his eyes on the movie that continued to play on the screen. “I’m happy for him… he’d been upset in the past couple of days.” 

Nodding, Sugawara shifted to a more accommodating and comfortable position for the two of them to fit on the sofa. He peeked from the corner of his eye to see the solemn expression on Tooru’s face. “That’s good.” 

The two fell into silence, focusing on watching the rest of the movie. 

 

* * *

 

Tooru had assumed that Hanamaki meeting his soulmate would mean constant third-wheeling and less time spent with him outside of the one class they shared. But that wasn’t the case. Instead, the pair became a trio of friends – the couple acting the opposite of what he’d expected in the public eye. Rather, they spent time discussing memes or teasing Tooru. The plus side was free food from Matsukawa’s diner. Any poor college student wouldn’t risk passing up that opportunity.  

But then one day, Matsukawa – oblivious to Tooru’s situation – eyed him carefully and asked him  _that_  question. The question that never failed to pop up between acquaintances at some point in time. “So, what kind of link do you have with your soulmate?” 

Hanamaki’s eyes widened slightly and he looked between his soulmate and Tooru nervously. He was unsure of how the brunet would react, seeing as last time he’d brought it up, it’d become a taboo topic of sorts.  

However, Tooru had been expecting this for some time, and simply sighed. He took his time to sip slowly at his drink, wanting a few extra seconds to think over his reply. He could shrug it off and avoid the question, but perhaps blunt was the best way to go; he had an inkling feeling that Matsukawa would keep pressing upon the manner if he continued to drag it out.  

“I don’t have one.” His lips curved into an exaggerated smile as he shrugged in a helpless manner. 

“Really?” he asked, to which the brunet nodded in reply. The chef continued on, “Hmm well, I have a friend whose skin would light up in colour whenever their soulmate would touch them. Maybe you have a similar type of link? The kind that forms upon connection.” 

Tooru averted his eyes away from the calculative gaze. “I meant… I don’t have a soulmate. At all.” 

Think brows furrowed in confusion, ignoring the jab to his ribs from Hanamaki. “How can you be so sure? Don’t you feel empty?” 

There it was, that word again. Hearing it left a bitter taste in his mouth. But this time, it really was the last straw. The word echoed through his mind tauntingly.  

_Empty_.  

He was sick of it. He hated feeling this way – feeling so odd in a world full of destined love and ‘complete-ness’. It was like he didn’t belong. Well, maybe he didn’t  _need_  a soulmate. Maybe his whole existence was proof that love wasn’t a necessity in life. But even so, he desperately wished that it wasn’t the case. Swallowing thickly, he forced the corners of his lips to tug into a smile.  

“No, I don’t. I can’t even imagine what it feels like.” He exhaled shakily, “I’m certain I don’t have anyone. The Weaver I visited even said so.” 

Hanamaki’s eyes widened as he moved away from Matsukawa to sit beside Tooru, resting a comforting hand upon his shoulder. “Oikawa… I’m so sorry, I had no idea.” 

He brushed the hand away and stood, “It’s really nothing, Makki. I mean, I’ve lasted twenty-two years without one, so what’s another fifty or sixty?” With that, he turned and swiftly left the diner. 

The couple silently watched as the door closed behind him, before turning back to face each other. Matsukawa’s usual half-lidded gaze was replaced with an expression akin to guilt, and Hanamaki reached out to grasp his hand. Their fingers clasped together tightly, reassuring one another in a manner that only they could understand through their bond. 

 

* * *

 

Tooru had no idea how long he’d been walking for. The sun had begun to set by the time he’d cleared his thoughts and was able to focus on his surroundings again. He supposed that he was at least grateful that he recognised the area he was standing in.  

Pulling his phone from his pocket, his eyes widened at the time flashing upon the screen. He’d missed his whole set of afternoon lectures. He sighed helplessly, he’d simply have to catch up in his own time. 

Upon entering the apartment, he knew that there was no hiding from Sugawara – the man’s instinct never failed to pick up on distress. 

The silver-haired male was already standing in the hallway by the time Tooru had pulled off his shoes. “What happened?” 

Tooru stood, silent. A glance at the worried expression upon Sugawara’s face was enough to have his eyes fill with fresh tears. He sniffled slightly, "Suga... I don’t like this. I don’t like that I’m alone even in a world full of people. I-It’s not fair.”  

The world claimed that you didn’t truly start living until you met your soulmate. If that was the case, then Tooru didn't know what kind of life there was to live. Years upon years of history had built a culture surrounding the idea that your soulmate was going to be the most important existence in your life. A human's unconscious will always search, or look for a sign to find and complete their soul. For Tooru, he'd never had the urge to search. He'd wished and dreamed to feel the way everyone else did, but in reality, he was just holding onto hope. 

Sugawara moved forward, wrapping the taller of the two in his arms and pet his back soothingly. Tooru leant into the comfortable touch, allowing his dam of emotions to spill out – the sobs wracking through his whole body and the core of his soul. His flatmate whispered words of solace that Tooru heard, but didn’t comprehend. The tone of his voice helped to ease the ache nonetheless.  

He simply couldn’t understand how there wasn’t a single person out there waiting for him in a world of seven billion people. There was no one who would always, truly be there for him, and in return, no one for him to care for. Forget feeling empty, he just felt so  _tired_  and  _alone._  His days felt like they dragged on for far too long as he sat isolated from something that was humanity’s norm; he was an outsider – dissociated from the rest of the world.  

“What's so bad about me?” He blubbered, clutching tighter onto Sugawara’s sweater. "Did I taint my soul so horrendously in my past life that Fate decided I didn't deserve someone?" 

"Tooru, you know that's not how it works..."  

"Then  _why_?" 

Sugawara leaned back to face the brunet directly in the eyes. His expression was hardened as he spoke confidently. "Think what you want Oikawa, but despite how annoying and whiny you can sometimes be, your soul is one of the purest I've ever seen. Don’t you dare think for a  _second_  that you're worthless!" 

Tooru looked at him, unshed tears blurring his vision and his breathing laboured from the stuffiness in his nose. He nodded hesitantly, and pushed the negative thoughts into a deep corner of his mind. He should just accept his circumstance already.  He relaxed back into his roommate's arms, allowing himself a moment of reprieve."I'm sorry Suga." 

_Suga was definitely wrong. He really didn’t deserve anything._  


	2. Rubatosis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _(n.). The unsettling awareness of your own heartbeat._

* * *

 

Three weeks had passed since he'd fled from Matsukawa's diner. While all was forgiven the day after the ordeal, Tooru could sense the hesitation floating between the couple. Dare he say that he actually missed their teasing.  

He had reached the corner of the street, pausing to glance down either side of the road and check for cars when it happened.  

One moment he was walking down the street, and in the next he found himself knocked prone – falling to the pavement. His vision blurred and he felt his heart lurch when he hit the ground, a sudden pain gripping his chest as a wave of anxiousness filled him. His heart quickened. Cursing beneath his breath, he turned to look at the person who'd crashed into him. Dark orbs stared back at him, forehead pinched into a frown. "Are you okay?" 

The words caught in his throat, and Tooru found himself nodding weakly as he accepted the hand that the stranger offered him. Slowly getting to his feet, he saw the stranger's eye catch sight of the time on his watch and he pulled his hand back. His chest squeezed tightly once more as the man pulled away, barely sparing him another glance as he rushed off once again without an apology.  

Confused, Tooru watched the stranger's figure disappear down the road, subconsciously placing a hand over his chest from a foreign feeling bubbling within. His heart rate was much faster than usual, and he wondered if it was from the suddenness of the incident or if it was from the extra sugar he'd added to his coffee that morning.  

He supposed it was the stranger's fault that the coffee had run through his system so quickly – the shock of their collision was enough to send his heart into a spin again. It almost felt like the stranger had given him a bruised rib or something from the way his chest ached. Scowling slightly, he sent a glare off in the general direction that the man had escaped to. He huffed. " _Rude_." 

Turning in the opposite direction, he continued down the street toward the diner. He grumbled under his breath about the absurdity of the situation – that the man didn’t even have so much of a second to spare for an apology.  

Tooru paused in front of the restaurant, pondering why he was so hung up upon a person whom he would probably never meet again. But there was something about the intensity of those forest green eyes... he shook his head wildly to rid himself of the thoughts. 

Entering the building, he found Hanamaki already waiting for him at their usual table. This table, of course, was the one that they'd sat at when Hanamaki and Matsukawa had met for the first time outside of their dreams. Matsukawa was the one who had readily reserved the table indefinitely so that his soulmate and friends would always have a table available for them. Although the thought behind it was endearing, Tooru didn't quite comprehend why Matsukawa would be willing to lose so much money that the table by the window could earn. 

 _It's a soulmate thing._  His inner voice responded to his own silent question. Tooru wasn't surprised – it was just another thing he couldn’t understand. 

"Makki, you won't believe what just happened on the way here!" He slipped into the seat across from his friend, a pout on his face. He adopted a whiny tone to his voice, something that never failed to irk Hanamaki a little. 

Said friend eyes him blankly with a sigh. "What was it this time?" He pushed over a steaming cup of coffee – coloured caramel from the creamer and sugar added to it. 

Tooru immediately pushed the mug back, startling Hanamaki from the sudden movement. "First of all, I think I might have a heart attack if I have any more coffee... and speaking of, the thing that just happened is totally related to why I might have a heart attack in the first place - wait, no... scratch that; I  _could've_  had a heart attack." 

Hanamaki snorted. "Well, I dunno about you. But I'm fairly sure a person having a heart attack would not be able to coherently say 'heart attack' three times in one breath." 

"That's rude! What if I actually did have a heart attack? What would you do then? What if Matsukawa had a heart attack and you responded like this?" He screeched, "If I have a heart attack then I'm blaming you for murder you know – you're wilfully letting me die."  

"That's not how murder works." Hanamaki rolled his eyes, but he was grinning. "Besides, murder is hard to prove. You should charge me with homicide instead." 

Tooru waved his hand nonchalantly. "Unnecessary details, whatever. What matters is that this mysterious man bowled around a corner and completely knocked me over on the street! And then had the audacity to not even apologise!"  

"If he was in a rush it can't be helped." The pink haired boy reached down to his bag and pulled out a sketchpad. "Hey Oikawa, be my model and sit still for a bit, yeah?" 

"Wait what? Not that I'm against it – I mean look at how dashing I am – but wouldn't you rather Mattsun be your model?"  

Shaking his head, Hanamaki gave him a fleeting glance before picking up a 2B pencil and beginning his sketch. "Can't" He said shortly, "If I use Issei then I'll get distracted. Fine lines and all... it's very charming to look at for a long time. Issei's also very convincing when he wants to be if ya know what I mean." 

The brunet wrinkled his nose. "Gross." 

They sat there for a while, Tooru mostly filling what would've been silence whilst Hanamaki sketched away, occasionally scolding him for moving too much. It took nearly an hour, but Tooru was grateful that this time had allowed his heart to finally calm and settle its pace. 

~~(The coffee remained untouched.)~~

 

* * *

 

He awoke, drenched in sweat and heart palpitating at an increasing rate. He exhaled heavily and looked at the time. Six in the morning -  far too early to be awake on a day where he only had afternoon classes. He huffed and slumped back onto his bed, hand resting against his chest. It was a familiar, burning feeling; the way it was pulsing. Like he'd just played a set of volleyball and now his heart was beating to push the blood flow and keep the adrenaline running through his veins. A soft sigh slipped from his lips as he relished in the feeling he'd never forgotten yet had missed dearly. 

Deciding that trying to go back to sleep would be pointless, he sat up in his bed and grabbed his laptop from his desk. The bright light made him squint, but he got over it quickly as he clicked through his files and opened up a few documents. He had a thesis due in about a week that he wanted to finish. It was worth nearly forty percent of his grade for the semester in the unit he most despised. So, while he was almost done, he wanted to have the time to review it over a couple of days after its completion – just in case. 

He worked for nearly an hour when he finally decided to take a break. He could hear Sugawara moving around the apartment, getting ready for his own lectures. Tooru pushed his laptop aside and slipped out of his bed, emerging from his room with a sincere smile. 

"Oikawa." Sugawara set down his mug, surprised. "You look... happier." It wasn't unusual for Tooru to be awake at odd hours no matter his schedule, but it was rare to see such a smile. 

Tooru nodded. "I woke up around six feeling like I'd just ran a marathon or something. I guess the feeling relaxed me a little. It reminded me of when I used to..." He drifted off, wanting to hold on to the feeling and went to sit on the couch, curling his legs up to rest his chin on his knees. The silver haired male faced him from the kitchen, picking up his tea again and taking a sip. 

"That's really good to hear." He then downed the rest of his drink and rinsed out the cup in the sink. "Ah, before I forget... do you mind picking up some groceries tonight? I picked up an extra shift so I won't be able to drop by the store like usual." 

"Mhmm." The brunet was still relishing in the euphoric feeling he'd woken up to. "I'll buy dinner too." 

By now, Sugawara was already at the door, slipping on his sneakers. He flashed his refreshing grin over his shoulder, stepping out of the apartment. "Thanks Oikawa. See you tonight!" The door slammed shut behind him, leaving Tooru in silence. 

He stretched out across the couch for a few minutes, gazing at the ceiling and trying to find swirling patterns within the chipped paint. His stomach reminded him of his hunger, causing him to heave himself up from the sofa in search of food. 

In the kitchen, he eyed the coffee machine warily – memories of the incident from a few days ago, resurfacing. He wanted to avoid that feeling if possible; the anxious feeling of his heart beating so quickly to it was almost too painful and had him on the edge of a panic attack. 

Ripping into a package of milk bread, he took a slice and bit into it, chewing slowly. He suddenly felt unsettled again, a twisting feeling in his chest had him hunching over the kitchen counter and choking mid-swallow. The unexpected pain was like a fire burning a hole into his chest, ingraining something deep within.  

Then the searing stopped, gone as soon as it came. His heart still beat loudly in his ribcage and Tooru gasped for air. The good mood he'd woken up with had completely dissipated by now. Clenching his fist, his much-loved milk bread was left abandoned on the counter as Tooru internally cursed those emerald green orbs. Something didn't feel quite right – but he couldn't put his finger on it. All he knew was that, it'd started with that man on the street. It was almost as if he'd taken something from him... something was just absent. Missing. 

 

* * *

 

"I feel sorry for Hera. I'm surprised she even stays with Zeus." Tooru frowned packing his things away and standing from his seat. Greek mythology was a confusing topic at times, but he didn't regret taking the elective.  

Hanamaki shrugged. "To be fair, like, half of the primary Gods wouldn't even exist if not for Zeus' affairs." He slung his own bag over his shoulder and waited at the end of the aisle for Tooru to catch up. The two exited the small lecture hall and began to make their way outside of the building. 

"But you would be upset if Matsukawa cheated on you." The brunet countered. 

"More like devastated." Hanamaki rolled his eyes. "Besides, if he did that then I'd pluck each and every one of his eyebrow hairs out so that no one else would dare to go near him again." 

"Don't lie, Makki. You like his eyebrows far too much." Tooru snorted. He reached up to readjust his bag when a sudden pain gripped at his chest and he curled forward with a groan. He winced at the constricting feeling, "Ah, shit..." 

His friend rushed toward him, holding him up before he fell. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" 

It took a few moments before Tooru was able to regain his composure and stand straight again. Rubbing at his chest in discomfort, he shook his head. "I don't know... I've been getting heartburn lately. It's probably just stress. I'll be fine after I hand in my thesis."  

"If you say so..." The pink-haired male paused and side-eyed his friend. After a moment of contemplation, he decided to let it go. "Well, I'm going to head to the diner. Are you going to come with?" 

"I'll pass." Tooru waved his hand before gesturing somewhere over to the left. "I think I'm going to study in the library for a few hours. If I'm not too tired I might drop by later." 

"Alright, don't overwork yourself." He nodded, "Maybe you should go see a doctor or something. I don't need you actually getting a heart attack." 

Grinning, Tooru reached out to pat Hanamaki on his shoulder. "Awe, is Makki worried about me? Don't worry mum. I'm fine." Bidding each other goodbye, the two left in different directions. Turning the corner, Tooru had truly intended to stick to his word and go to the library, but his eyes caught sight of an open gym and his heart began pounding in anticipation all over again.  

Taking a step toward the open doors, he could see the varsity volleyball team running drills and calling out formations.  

Usually he would avoid the gym at all costs, but something drew him to it. The recollection of the emotions that had rushed through him that morning had him aching to fulfil some sort of missing piece within him. He cautiously stepped into the gym and the tension in his shoulders immediately faded away the moment he breathed in the familiar smell of synthetic leather and sweat. Tooru exhaled shakily, watching the action unfurl before him.  

The two teams rallied – their shoes squeaking against the polished floors as a spike broke through a block only for someone to dive and receive the ball at his fingertips. The ball flew up high, two wing spikers running back to prepare for the spike as the setter positioned himself in front of the net. On the other side, the blockers assessed the situation, eye flickering from side to side to determine where the setter would send the ball. 

 _He'll dump it._  His mind supplied. It was the best option after all. They had been rallying for so long that a dump would be unexpected and disrupt the flow of the other team. The ball finally began its descent into the cradle of the setter's fingers, and it was almost in slow motion as the wing spikers ran up to the net, calling for the ball. The setter extended his arms, jumping and tilting his hand over the net as he tapped the ball onto the other side of the court. Three players went to dive, only to have the ball hit the ground with a hollow  _thud_. 

Tooru smiled, glad that his intuition was still as sharp as his high school days. A whistle blew and the group of sweaty players turned to him, each pausing in their step at the sight of a stranger in their gym. Whilst everyone else hovered, one person with unruly bed hair moved forward and walked past him to get to his water bottle. "Can I help you?" 

"I..." He fished for an excuse. "I was just watching." He finished lamely. 'I want to play, but am incapable of doing vigorous activity' would probably not be the best way to answer. 

"If you're here to watch then you need to go up to the balcony. If not, you might accidently get injured by a stray serve." The male pointed up, where a few people were scattered around and cheering on the team. By the point the rest of the members had went on to take their break, still glancing over curiously at the newcomer. 

Tooru's lips stretched into a smirk, his voice becoming a mocking lilt. "I don't think any of your spikes or serves could be strong enough to really hurt me." The words fell from his lips, a snark that was usually reserved for the court revealing itself. 

"Oh?" The man – the captain presumably – shifted to take on a more intimidating pose. "Are you a player?" 

Shaking his head, Tooru grinned sunnily at the man. "Nope, just a passer-by~." 

The whistle blew again and everyone quickly returned back to the court. Another player with streakily dyed hair came up to slap the captain on the back, swirling letters decorating a majority of the man’s arm. "Comin' Kuroo?" 

"Yeah, just a sec Bo." Giving him a final once over, the male – Kuroo – turned and jogged back over to his teammates. Tooru caught sight of the same cursive font crawled across the captain's arm. His heart pounded... he wanted something like that; something to help fill the empty space within him. 

He paused. Empty...? Is that what it felt like? A sense of incompleteness that filled his every heartbeat? Gripping at the fabric over his chest, he absently walked away, confused by the hollow feeling that washed over him. 

 _It's just wishful thinking._  He scolded himself.  _A phantom feeling to get my hopes up, but..._  

 _Why does it hurt so much?_  


	3. Saudade.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _[Portuguese]: (n.). A deep emotional state of nostalgic or profound melancholic longing for an absent something or someone._

* * *

 

There was a man, standing at  _his_  fountain and throwing in a coin like he had the right to do so. He was slightly mad because only  _Tooru_  was allowed to make wishes there – no one else. How else were his wishes supposed to come true if he had to share the fountain with someone else? That would mean that Fate would have to deal with more of them and would take longer in coming back to grant his. 

With a burning fury, he stalked up to the fountain and mentally began to prepare a lecture and give the other person a piece of his mind. But then the guy turned around and Tooru froze. The words died at the tip of his tongue and he felt almost breathless. Warm eyes bore into his own orbs, and the stranger seemed to clutch at his chest with invisible pain. There was just something so familiar about the way the man’s eyes met his… of course. He could never forget those eyes. 

"You." He said instead, the anger he'd felt increasing rapidly. 

The man straightened, just a tad shorter than him even though his hair was spiked. "Huh?" 

"Why are  _you_  here?!" 

A scowl stretched over the man's features. "What do you mean why am I here? It's a public place, you idiot." 

Tooru wavered, but didn't back down. "S-Still, you can't wish at the fountain! That's my thing." There was a building rage in his gut that was slowly spreading throughout his body. Seeing this man was affecting him immensely despite it only being their second meeting, the ache in his chest fading away and being replaced by bubbling emotion. He could see the dark-haired man flinch at his words, and a small wave of triumph washed over him.  

"Your thing? I don’t see your name on the fountain anywhere." The other steeled himself as well, crossing his arms and causing his biceps to bulge. Any other day, Tooru would've fawned over the display of muscle but he was just too overwhelmed.  

"Well, take a closer look!" It was childish of him to be arguing like this, and it seemed that the other knew this just as well.  

Unimpressed, the man looked back over to the weathered stone of the fountain. His eyes scanned the surface before coming to a stop with a snort. He pointed to the name graffitied on the edge of the fountain. "Your name is Nakagawa Suzume?"  

" _Yes!_ " Tooru huffed.  

He hummed. "Nice to meet you then,  _Baka_ gawa-san." 

The brunet faltered, offended from the insult on behalf of the real owner of the name. He focused on the broad-shouldered man before him. "What's your name then, hmm? Hedgehog-san?" 

"Tch. Its Iwaizumi Hajime. Call me a hedgehog again and I'll hit you."  

"My, my, what a masculine name." Tooru forced a laugh, knowing it would get on Iwaizumi's nerves. "Iwa-chan suits you so much better don't you think?" 

There was a pause as Iwaizumi's expression hardened. Tooru's heart beat in anticipation. His mind had finally cleared a little, the heat of the argument having clouded his thoughts. He felt slightly bad for being rude, and giving himself a poor impression. All because he wanted to be a little selfish.  

 _Idiot, just because you want it, doesn't mean it's really yours._  

Tooru averted his gaze from Iwaizumi, admonished by his own thoughts. Guilt filled him and from the corner of his eye, Iwaizumi's firm stature seemed to relax a little. His baritone voice spoke, softly. "Hey... I'm sorry." Tooru's shifted to looked back at him questioningly. So, the man continued. "You know, for the other time when I crashed into you. I was in a rush, so I never apologized back then." 

He was dumbfounded. He hadn't realised how hung up he was over that day, and a tension he had been carrying seemed to leave his body. "R-Right. I'm sorry too. For being rude just now." 

It was stupid, how the two of them stood there watching each other for the next few minutes. But they did, and Tooru had never felt more comfortable doing so in his life. For once, Tooru didn't care about the way he appeared to another person – he didn't feel the weight of Iwaizumi's judgement on his shoulders. 

A distant sound of a ringtone pulled them from their trances, and Iwaizumi fumbled with his phone, turning it on and scanning the contents of a text message. The two exhaled simultaneously.  

"I – uh – have to go." Iwaizumi spoke first. 

"Okay." 

Slowly backing away, as if he didn't want to ruin the calm of the moment, Iwaizumi offered a hesitant wave. "I might see you around, Bakagawa-san." 

Tooru returned the wave with an equally tentative smile. "Actually. Its Oikawa. Oikawa Tooru." 

A grin spread across rough features and Iwaizumi shrugged. "Shitty Oikawa then. No difference." 

This time, Tooru couldn't bring up to energy to feel insulted. Instead, his heart pounded rapidly against his ribcage. 

 

* * *

 

Tooru thought about the encounter again, running the scene over and over in his mind. His heart was aching more than ever and he was sure that the man had something to do with it. Perhaps he was an alien intent on stealing his life-force. At least, that was the best reason he'd come up with so far.  

A weight settled beside him, and he looked over to see Hanamaki grinning at him. "Yo. Issei's running a little late, but we should still be able to make the movie. There's twenty-five minutes of ads before the actual movie after all." 

He had actually forgotten what he was waiting for, and settled for a nod.  

Hanamaki leaned back on the bench. "So, what's today's drama?" 

"I think there's something wrong with me." Tooru gripped his bag strap tightly. "I feel like there's this big, gaping hole in my chest and I don't know what to fill it with." 

His friend raised a pencil-thin eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be dead then?" 

He glared. "Shut up Makki. I'm serious. Ever since that guy bumped into me, I get all anxious about stupid things. I keep wanting to go out and exercise but then I..." He paused, rubbing at his chest. "I just... I don’t know." 

"Exercise?" 

"Yeah, volleyball or something. Maybe I'm just missing it too much." 

"You play volleyball?" The pink haired boy's eyes widened in shock.  

Tooru visibly stiffened, before relaxing and breezing through his answer in a flat tone. "Used to." He corrected. "An injury stopped me from doing any sports." 

Hanamaki frowned in thought, quickly changing the topic. "So, this weird feeling only started when you met that guy?" 

"Well, yeah. I guess." 

"Then maybe he's your soulmate." The pink haired boy suggested casually. Tooru's breath hitched, watching as Hanamaki continued to look at him, unblinking. There was a heaviness that prickled and settled behind his eyes and Tooru bit his lip. Tooru was a hopeless romantic – he was a big believer in having dreams and wishes come true... even though they were never his own. But what Hanamaki was saying, it was cruel. His friend sighed, "He really could be, you know." 

Tooru cleared his throat and stood from the park bench they were waiting at. "D-Don't joke with me Hanamaki. It's really not funny." His voice came out weak, small. He was insecure.  

"I have no clue what your link might even be, but you can't throw away the possibility just because of what a Weaver said years ago. They could've been lying about it." He too, got to his feet and tapped at the area over Tooru's heart. "You said that you're missing something right here. You're feeling empty."  

His hand was slapped away and Tooru took a step back. Hanamaki recalled the way Tooru had done the same thing over a month ago in the diner and sighed. "Oikawa, I'm just trying to help you." 

A warmth pressed up against his side and he looked up to see Matsukawa smiling lazily down at him. "Hey, sorry you had to wait for me." The curly haired boy looked between the two. "Somethin' wrong?" 

"Everything's fine." Tooru cut in with a light and airy tone. Hanamaki didn’t even have to look to know that the brunet was using that obscenely fake smile of his. He then made a big show of pulling out his phone and waving it around. "Actually though, my flatmate texted me a while back and he needs my help back at the apartment. So, you guys can go ahead and watch the movie without me. Enjoy your time alone, but not too much!"  

His words were cheerful and teasing, but spoken in such a rush that they nearly melded into one another. With a flash of his favoured peace sign, he bid them a quick goodbye and rushed off. 

Hanamaki turned and buried his face into his boyfriend's shoulder. "Why do I always say the wrong things?" 

"You don't, Hiro. Oikawa just doesn't listen to the things he doesn't want to hear."

 

* * *

 

Tooru's vision tunnelled as he walked away, a mixture of emotions flowing through his veins. He was angry, confused and hurt all in one. A small part of him knew that Hanamaki meant well, but it was pushed into the far corners of his mind as Tooru told himself that his friend just simply didn't understand. No one could understand. His footsteps slowed to a halt, and he leant against a brick wall, exhaling slowly to calm himself. 

The air of the night was cool and brushed over him like a soft lull. Closing his eyes, he took steadying breaths.  

When he finally opened his eyes again, the anger had settled and, in its place, shame had bloomed. He was just being jealous – feeling spiteful because Hanamaki had what he didn't... because he was always trying, hoping, wishing and reaching for something only to end up with fruitless results. With shaking hands, he sent Hanamaki a text of apology. It was riddled with spelling mistakes and missing words. He could barely see the screen properly from how unsteady his hands were.  

A hand gripped his shoulder and the brunet nearly dropped his phone in surprise. It took a few moments before he recognised the man standing in front of him, but when he did, he couldn't help but hold his breath. "You again." 

"Yeah, it's me." Iwaizumi was frowning, but his voice hinted at concern, "Are you okay?" 

He glanced down at his hands, quickly clenching them into fists and stuffing them in his coat pockets. "I'm fine." A shiver wracked through his body when Iwaizumi huffed – his warm breath fanning over his cheek. 

"Idiot, if you're going to be cold, at least have to sense to wear a thicker coat." The shorter male's hand slid down his shoulder to grab at his elbow. Tooru barely had enough time to even steady himself before he was being pulled along the sidewalk at a fast pace.  

"H-Hey! Iwa-chan, stop! What're you doing?" The shorter man ignored his protests and continued forward with a stony expression. It wasn't until they'd entered a cosy establishment that Iwaizumi let go of his elbow and led them to a table.  

"Sit." He spoke gruffly, "And order something – it's on me. Call it an apology for crashing into you." 

Tooru snorted at Iwaizumi's rigidness. "Well then, since you so kindly offered to pay..." He picked up the menu and scanned through the meals, looking for the most expensive item. A poor college kid like him would never pass up on the opportunity for free food. Glancing up, he found the green-eyed boy staring back up him expectantly, and he blinked with slow realisation.  

Was Iwaizumi, a near-stranger, worried about him? His lips threatened to pull into one of his embarrassing, full-of-teeth smiles. He bit down upon his lip to stop the urge. "Iwa-chan, yo–" 

"Are you guys ready to order?" Their waiter cut him off, appearing with a notepad and pen in hand. Mildly annoyed, Tooru flashed the man a cheery smile and made his order. Iwaizumi did the same and the waiter nodded before leaving as swiftly as he came.  

The two fell into silence, Iwaizumi fiddling with the cutlery that had been laid out. Tooru took the chance to study the man more carefully; his eyes grazing over his defined jaw and broad shoulders. He noted the casual outfit that he donned, and realised that he was wearing a Chuo university hoodie.  

His eyes widened, “You’re a student?” 

“Hmm?” Iwaizumi dropped his gaze to his outfit, before looking back to face Tooru. “Yeah, I’m studying physiotherapy.” 

“I... I thought you were older than me!” He exclaimed. 

“Hah?” The scowl on his face became deeper in offence, but his body seemed to relax from its rigid state. “Do I look that old to you?” 

Tooru quickly shook his head, “No, no. Iwa-chan just looks older when he scowls like that.” 

“I’ll hit you.” The man growled. 

The brunet shrunk back, “You wouldn’t really do that... would you?” Warmth spread in his chest as he saw Iwaizumi raise his brows at the challenge. Whatever was happening between them was comfortable, and he found himself forgetting his actions from earlier in the night. He laughed nervously, “Okay, I get it. But at least avoid the face, you know?” 

“As if it would make a difference to your looks, Shitty Oikawa.” 

“ _Rude_.” Tooru gasped, “I’ll have you know that people  _wish_  to have as much beauty as I possess. Also, don’t give me such a crude nickname! Iwa-chan is such a meanie!” 

“Shittykawa.” Iwaizumi amended with a slight grin.  

He floundered for a response, “Iwa-chan! Don’t combine them!” Iwaizumi merely shrugged. Tooru crossed his arms childishly in return and pouted. “So... physiotherapy huh?” 

His companion nodded, “It’s hard work but I enjoy it. I used to play volleyball back in middle and high school, so I saw a lot of injuries back then that made me want to help others.” 

“Volleyball? Let me guess, you were wing spiker, and possibly the ace?” 

“How did you know?” 

Tooru smirked, “Anyone with arms like that wouldn’t  _not_  be a spiker. Although you could’ve been a middle blocker...” he trailed off. Seeing Iwaizumi open his mouth in question, he quickly changed the subject. “Then, can you guess what I study?” 

Iwaizumi, drawn in by the new topic, gave him a once over, “Not sure. Media and communications, or business? Maybe law?” 

“Hah! That’s what everyone expects.” Tooru paused, watching as the waiter approached with two plates of steaming food. Once set down on the table, he dug in with fervour. “Mmm, its good! Anyway, you’re completely wrong. You’re looking at an astrophysics major. Why? Well obviously, I’m here to prove that aliens exist.” He waved his hand around with a flourish.  

The dark haired man choked, looking at Tooru with amusement in his eyes. “Figures that you would have some sort of simple-minded reasoning.” 

“Simple-minded?” Tooru held himself back from screeching in defence. “Clearly you have no taste, you brute.” 

The two of them continued talking for hours. After they had finished their meals they had ordered tea and coffee, and then desert after that. Luckily the establishment wasn’t too busy as it was mid-week, and neither of them had even noticed the time go by until the same waiter had approached them to notify that they were closing soon. As they exited the building, a cold blast of air hit them at full force – the evening wind having cooled down substantially at every passing hour they’s spent inside. Tooru pulled his coat tighter around his body, breathing into his cupped palms to heat them slightly. “So, I guess this is where we part?”  

Iwaizumi glanced back at him. “I guess so.” He slowly began to step away.  

“Wait! Can I have your number?” The two shared a soft, seemingly relieved, smile as they both pulled out their phones to exchange contact details. Pocketing his device, Iwaizumi turned to leave again as Tooru called out to him once more. “Don’t be a stranger Iwa-chan! You better actually text me back!” 

The man continued to walk away, simply lifting up a hand to show that he’d heard him. If Tooru had looked close enough, he would have seen the slight shake of Iwaizumi’s shoulders as he chuckled at the brunet’s antics.  

Sighing wistfully, Tooru also left, quickly making his way back to the apartment before the cold seeped too far into his bones. Hopefully, Sugawara wouldn’t be in the bathroom when he got back, as both of them had the tendency to be in there for far longer than necessary.  

 _Perhaps... I could love a man like him._  


	4. Artudido.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _[Spanish]: (adj.). Feeling so overwhelmed by emotion, you cannot think straight; dazed or bedazzled._
> 
>  
> 
> The focal character of this chapter is Iwaizumi. Thus, his first name is used to address him like I’ve done in the other chapters for Oikawa. I apologize that this chapter is also mostly me spewing out information for the sake of the story... (otherwise known as word vomit)

* * *

 

A bad feeling had crept into his gut. Or perhaps, his heart. 

Breathing deeply, he willed the unsettling feeling away, only for it to come bubbling back with more intensity. Although he had only just left Oikawa behind, but something was urging him to rush back. 

Meeting Oikawa had sparked something within him, and he wasn’t sure if that had something to do with his soulmark; a simplistic looking water ripple placed over his chest. When the turquoise mark had apparently appeared only a month after he was born, he had been told time and time again as he grew up that meeting his soulmate wouldn’t be the easiest of tasks. 

Little more had been explained to Hajime, but he understood at the very least that the complete formation of his mark at less than three years old meant his soulmate would be completely dependent upon him. And if Oikawa was really  _The One_...

He didn’t think any further, spinning on his heel and hurrying back down the sidewalk. A lump wedged itself into his throat as he ran. Passing the restaurant, he followed the sound of commotion nearby, worry clouding his mind at the thought of Oikawa being the cause of it. When he turned the corner he was met with a crowd of people, frantically speaking into their phones, and yelling for anyone who knew first aid to help. 

Looking around, he grabbed the attention of the nearest person, “Do you know what happened?”

The woman in question nodded frantically. “Yeah, I was on the other side of the street when this young boy – around your age – suddenly collapsed. He’s lucky that they’re so many people around right now since it’s the weekend.”

The lump in his throat fell like lead into the pit of his stomach. 

Pushing through the gathering of people, he was met with the ashen face of the brunet. His features were scrunched up in pain and there was another man leaning over him, about to perform CPR. He exhaled shakily, and sirens cried out in the background. 

“Wait!” Lunging forward, he wrapped a hand around the helper’s wrist. Kneeling down, he pushed two fingers into Oikawa’s neck, feeling around for his pulse point. He raised his other hand against his own neck, counting softly under his breath. He paused – their heart beats seemed perfectly in sync. 

The man by his side looked at him expectantly, “Well, are you done? If I don’t begin first aid immediately he might suffer extensive injuries.”

“No.” Hajime countered, “He doesn’t need it.”

Glancing back at Oikawa’s unconscious form, they could see the slow, even, rise and fall of his chest. He was breathing just fine. 

Two more people stepped into the fray, dressed in paramedic uniforms and stern expressions adorning their faces. One dropped down to assess Oikawa’s condition while the other addressed the crowd. “Excuse me, but does anyone here know this man?”

Hajime stood up without hesitation. “Yeah. I can’t confirm it myself, but I think he’s my soulmate.”

The paramedic’s eyes narrowed and he considered the situation for a moment. “Alright, you hop in the back with the patient and we’ll get things sorted at the hospital.”

The ride passed in a blur, Hajime’s mind blocking out everything that was happening around him. He barely registered the doctor and nurse walking up to the van, talking briefly with the medics before turning to face him. 

“So, you claim to be the patient’s soulmate?”

He nodded. “I’m not completely sure yet. We haven’t known each other for very long.”

The doctor nodded and the nurse wrote something down in his clipboard, “Will you be able to fill out the man’s details?”

“Sorry, no. You’ll have to call his emergency contact.”

The duo nodded once more before the doctor gestured at him. “Alright, follow me. The patient will be fine but I’d like to take some tests to confirm that you’re really soulmates. It might help to explain some things a little easier.”

The raven-head complied, tailing the pair. “If I’m really his soulmate then he might suffer from SODD."

“Yes, I suspect that would be the case.” Silence fell upon them, only their footsteps echoing down the linoleum hallway. They turned a few corners, entering a small wing with no patients inside. Hajime looked around the empty space as the doctor beckoned someone over. Whispering quietly into the other female's ear, she backed away, nodding over at Hajime. "Dr Sugawara will be with you for testing. She is our soulmate specialist so rest assured you're safe in her hands. I'll be attending to the patient, so please wait in the east wing when you're done here."

The light-haired woman smiled kindly and stepped forward, left hand outstretched. “Iwaizumi-san, how are you feeling tonight?”

“If I’m honest, a little worried... not for myself, of course.” He took the offered hand and shook it firmly. The woman's eyebrows quirked upward, seemingly surprised. Before he could question it, her expression settled once more into a gentle smile.

“Well, if what I have heard is correct, your soulmate will be fine.” 

“Soulmate... but we haven’t done any tests to confirm it yet?”

Her grin grew wider and she winked, “You’re a lucky man, Iwaizumi-san. Your soulmate is quite the cutie.”

“Wait, what?”

“Brown, fluffy hair? Tall with long legs? A cute little button nose? He scrunches it up when he's mad, or upset?” She described, “That’s Oikawa, right?”

“Y-yes, but...”

Dr Sugawara waved her hand nonchalantly. “I’m a soulmate specialist. Or Weaver, if you prefer that term. Anyway, I shouldn’t exactly be telling you this, but us Weavers can see who’s on the other side of the string. I mean, if everyone knew we could see that then it would cause far too much drama.”

He scratched his cheek. Upon thought, he could understand why Weavers would withhold that kind of information. There were billions of people in the world, and many with the same standard features. Not to mention, hair and eye colour was something that could easily be changed with the use of dye, or contacts. If people were to go looking for a person of a certain description, more often than not they would be looking in the wrong place. "So, it's true then? Oikawa is my soulmate?"

"Bingo! You're right about that!" She cheered jokingly. Her tone suddenly dropped, bordering on threatening. "That's why, if you hurt him, or abandon him... I won't be afraid to track you down. The kid's been through a lot, and I'm sure you know."

A shiver wracked through his body at her voice. The room felt like it had dropped ten degrees and the collar of his shirt was beginning to feel somewhat suffocating. He swallowed, choosing his next words carefully. "You... you know Oikawa?"

Her laughter chimed throughout the empty wing. "Why, of course I do! My son is his roommate!"

"Oh."

"And since you’re a mutual acquaintance, I hope you don't mind if I drop the formalities?" She broke away from him, walking to sit in one of the plastic chairs. She slumped down without waiting for his reply and kicked off her heels with a sigh. "Honestly, these heels are killer. I've been working for the last 17 hours too. Anyway, come sit."

Hajime was beginning to have second thoughts about speaking to the light-haired woman. While she definitely seemed to be a fun person, her personality changed nearly every other minute. At his hesitation, she ushered him over again, a more forceful expression upon her face.

Carefully, he settled into a chair as well, keeping a seat's distance in between them. She spoke first, becoming serious once more. "So, what do you already know about Significance Other Dependence Disorder?"

"Well, it occurs when you receive your soulmark from the moment you're born. Usually it means that the other half will develop theirs early as well – before they've reached three years of age. I received mine at a month old, so my parents have been warning me ever since." He took a deep breath. "People who suffer from SODD experience severe heartache and intensify feelings of emptiness. They rely on their soulmate to ease those emotions, and without them they can't survive."

"Ah, so you  _are_  aware of the dangers of leaving Oikawa alone then?"

Hajime nodded tensely. While he and Oikawa had barely spent any time together, he couldn't deny the connection he felt with him, and how he'd thought endlessly about him whenever there was a pang in his chest and a hollowness in his gut. He couldn't even imagine how Oikawa must've been feeling.

"Ok. That's good." Dr Sugawara seemed relieved. "But, there's much more you need to know before I let you go."

"Yeah?"

"SODD... it's something that has to be treated within minutes of being born. Otherwise the baby won't even be able to make it through their first night before they pass on from overwhelming pain. We, as Weavers are tasked with making sure that they get the treatment. But, in most Weaver's opinions, they're more like a curse." She paused, mulling over the situation. "You see, a red string is made up of thousands of thin threads, they can even grow more depending upon how deeply connected the soulmates are. Among them, there are the life threads – which we believe are the threads that ensure that soulmates will meet. While those are important, another of these threads are what we like to call the 'response' threads."

"So... the emotions we feel for one another?"

She nodded and the corner of her lip quirked softly. "Correct – you catch on quite quickly, don't you?" The older woman shifted in her seat, reaching over to place a hand on Hajime's shoulder. "Now a string only has  _two_ 'response' threads. Take my hand on your shoulder for example. I'm connecting myself to you – perhaps not emotionally, but the connection is there. If I were to chop off my arm, I am no longer connected to you, but you can still reach out your own arm to join with me. In order to save an SODD patient, we must cut their 'response' thread. In other words, Oikawa lost his connection to you, and was unable to feel anything in regards to having another half. His string becomes invisible to any Weaver, hance why it's called a curse. A curse where one believes that they're without a soulmate."

Hajime took everything in, discomfort bubbling away in his chest at the thought of Oikawa suffering. "But what about me? Why was I still able to feel everything? And why couldn't you just tell Oikawa about the surgery rather than leave him in the dark?"

"Like before, you are still able to join yourself to Oikawa. The 'response' threads only have the connection travel in one direction. That's why there's only two of them." The Weaver shook her head despairingly. "By law, and for the safety of the patient, we are unable to tell them of their circumstance unless they meet their soulmate. Have you heard of the term plasticity?"

He nodded, "Biologically, it refers to an organism's ability to change or adapt depending on its environment or habitat." His studies required him to know about how the body worked, and he was relieved to think that it was one less thing to be taught in this situation.

"Yes, and there's also the terms used in psychology; developmental and adaptive plasticity. The world of Fate and soulmates is extremely complicated. And in the simplest terms I can offer, much like adaptive plasticity, a new 'response' thread can be formed quite easily in two conditions. One being that the patient is informed of their condition, and the other being that they meet their significant other. Due to the uncontrolled circumstances, no information about SODD is publicized and is only revealed when need be. Such as to your parents so that they could understand your and Oikawa's situation." She smiled once more, standing up and disappearing into what could be assumed was her office, before coming back out with a piece of paper. "Since you've been told everything you need to know... I'm obligated to ask you to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Most people laugh at this part, but I'm serious right now – not even my son has heard a word of what SODD is."

Everything was still processing in his mind; the gears turning slowly and filtering away the bucket load of information he'd just received. He looked to the paper that Dr Sugawara held out, and the gravity of the situation began to weigh down on him. Oikawa... he was going to be relying upon him for the rest of their lives. Hajime wasn't the kind of person who welcomed major change within his life with open arms. 

He suddenly wasn't sure that he would be able to handle it.

 

* * *

 

He could do it. He could totally do it.

He'd been sitting in Oikawa's hospital room when someone crashed into the room, breathing heavily and calling out Oikawa’s name. The man’s silver hair was ruffled by the wind outside, and his cheeks flushed with exertion from running all the way to the hospital. Despite all that, he still seemed put together, charming even. Ignoring Hajime, or perhaps not seeing him, he ran to the brunet’s side and carefully fluttered around him like a worried mother. 

As Hajime watched – heart slowly sinking – as the silver-haired newcomer gently brushed back Oikawa’s bangs, soothing a palm over his forehead before taking his hand. 

He should've been the one doing it, is what Hajime had thought. 

And that was when he realised that he couldn't see himself without Oikawa. There was just a magnetic pull; if Hajime were to ever lose his way, he could see himself in Oikawa's arms and feeling like he was home. Just this night he had already seen so many different sides of the brunet and it was almost like Hajime had known him forever. 

These thoughts, though uncharacteristic of him, were what made him realise he could do it. While he would never be able to understand how Oikawa had felt – the belief of not having someone to spend their life with – he hadn't waited twenty-two years for nothing. Oikawa was his soulmate, and he'd be damned if he let the man go.

With a burst of confidence, he stood, walking over to the man by his soulmate's bedside and placed a hand on his shoulder. The silver-haired boy jumped slightly, quickly turning to face him. "Oh, I didn't even notice you here!"

Wanting to get straight to the point, he glanced over to Oikawa's resting form. "Are you his boyfriend?"

Laughter suddenly filled the room. "I sincerely hope not. I'm his roommate, Sugawara Koushi." At the explanation, the jealously clouding his vision cleared, and he immediately recognised the boy's feature within the Weaver he had spoken to earlier. The boy was smiling gently in the exact same way his mother had. "And you are?"

"I'm Iwaizumi Hajime." He introduced himself, "I came with him to the hospital."

"Iwaizumi... Hajime...?" The boy spoke, head tilting to the side. There was a calculating look in his eye that warned Hajime to proceed with caution. "I've never heard of you before. How do you know Oikawa?"

Hajime breathed in deeply, steeling himself for whatever could unfold within the next few minutes. "I'm... I'm his soulmate." 

And then he watched as Sugawara’s gaze widened, eyes blazing. His hand wrapped around Oikawa's wrist, almost protectively. Suddenly, Oikawa's dark lashes fluttered and his chocolate orbs blinked hazily up at the ceiling of the hospital room. The silver-haired male glanced at the awakening brunet before turning back to Hajime.

_"If this is some kind of sick joke, then get out."_


	5. Metanoia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _[Greek origin]: (n.). The journey of changing one's mind, heart, self, or way of life._

* * *

 

When Tooru had woken up, he didn't expect to find Sugawara having a stare-off against Iwaizumi, before watching him get kicked out of his room. He didn't expect to hav to face Iwaizumi. To be crowded by various specialist doctors. To be confronted with a bucket load of information about soulmates, red strings and something called Significant Other Dependent Disorder. Safe to say, he was confused, yet also angered by the fact that he had lived for twenty-two years believing he was a defect in a system of bonds and connections. And no one had been allowed to tell him the truth. 

But the biggest thing was how lost he felt. A huge part of what he defined himself as had completely tipped to the other side of the spectrum all in a matter of days. He had always been independent, and to find out that it was being taken away from him made him far too vulnerable. 

"Why are you trying to resist the bond?" Tooru glanced over to the side, where Iwaizumi looked down at his own clenched fists. His heart reached out to comfort him, but his mind stubbornly told him to stay put. It wasn't fair that he didn’t know, but everyone else did. Even his parents, who had called ten minutes ago had apologized, saying they wouldn't be able to come because they were so busy, had known about his dependence disorder. 

So instead of reaching out to his soulmate, he settled with keeping his distance. "What?" 

"Stop trying to push me away. You heard the doctor. You're only going to end up killing yourself." The tone of Iwaizumi's voice told him that he was upset with the way Tooru was acting toward him. 

Tooru looked down at his lap, fiddling with his fingers. He felt ashamed to hurt his soulmate, but..."I don't know." He whispered, "I don't know how I'm supposed to do this. I've lived my whole life trying to accept that I was a dud and now I'm going to have to live the rest of it relying on you." 

The shorter man sighed, "Well, I'm sorry that it's me you have to deal with." 

"That's not what I meant." The brunet frowned.  

"Then what  _do_  you mean?" His arms were crossed now, and while his expression was guarded, his eyes portrayed a different emotion. 

"I just need some time. Some space." He explained shortly. Tooru gestured to the empty space in front of him, as if it could explain whatever he couldn’t put into words. He huffed in annoyance at his mental blank, and eventually came up with something he thought was feasible. "I just need to figure this out somehow."  

There was no response to his words, only a soft sigh, the sound of footsteps, and then door sliding shut as Iwaizumi left. 

The brunet stared at the exit, willing it to move and have Iwaizumi walk back in with some kind of apology or comfort. Minutes passed in silence, and no one returned. Now, Tooru had felt lost before – when he thought he had no soulmate, and when he couldn't play volleyball anymore – but to have Iwaizumi walk away from him...  

To have him walk away without looking back was a million times worse. 

 

* * *

 

A few days had passed, and Tooru had finally been released from the hospital with strict warnings and a container of pills that were supposed to stabilise his condition for the next few weeks. 'Supposed to', meaning that the medication did not have a 100% success rate and might not work. Either way he couldn't continue living off the pills forever, so Sugawara's mother had strongly urged him to at least take the chance. While the pain was mostly gone, a discomfort remained in his chest that he had subconsciously rubbed at throughout his whole day at college. 

As he slipped inside the university gym, he internally wondered if Iwaizumi was on Chuo’s team. Eyes catching onto a wing spiker flying up into the air, the man’s light hair and pale complexion was replaced with raven spikes and caramel skin. He shook his head. He had Iwaizumi on his mind far too much as it was. Making his way up to the balcony, a lean body stepped in front of him with a sly grin.  

“Actually coming to watch this time?” 

Tooru nearly rolled his eyes. “Well I might not if you don’t move out of the way, Captain-san.” 

Kuroo’s grin grew wider if possible. Moving to the side he made a grand gesture up at the staircase. "Be my guest." He spoke with a flourish, almost as if presenting Tooru to the red carpet. 

Giving the unruly bed-headed man the side-eye, he slowly ascended the stairs, finding small low benches against the walls that were just high enough to peer through the balcony railing and down to the court.  

He watched quietly for a while, observing the setter and the owl-haired boy from the last time he was in the gym closely as other members of the team did blocking and receive drills. Based upon their reaction time and graceful movements, he assumed that the group he was watching were part of the starting line-up. His eyes followed the flex of the spiker's calf muscles as he jumped to reach the ball.  

As the player landed, he caught sight of the contraction in the male's legs and he mind was sent straight back to his days in the gym, hitting serve after serve. His breath laboured from putting in his all for continuous, never-ending hours. Sweat dripping down his body as his knee twitched in pain. How he'd ignored the pain to practice more – to practice  _harder_. To be the best. Back then, nothing mattered more than volleyball and proving his worth on the court. But now he'd sacrificed his body and paid the price... so now what? 

What was left to matter? 

He could feel himself spiralling down that pit of isolation and regret. If only he could turn back time, if only he weren't so stupid. If only. If only. If only. 

Volleyball had connected him to the world. Having shared something with others in a team. Where him not having a soulmate hadn't been a problem because the team was like his second family.  

Things wouldn’t have been this way if he had just listened. He could've been the one setting ball after ball upon the court he was looking at. He could've continued to play and have the feeling of leather sliding against his fingers be accompanied with a rush of adrenaline rather than pain. 

But after he'd landed himself with that permanent life injury, his so-called family had turned their backs at lightning speed, bowing down to their new setter like they were royalty and he was pushed aside, forgotten.  

He was so alone, and there had been no one to comfort him. His parents, always working, had given him pitying looks. They didn't understand, and never had... they had each other.  

Things could have been so different if only–  

A warmth suddenly settled next to him and pressed against his side in a comforting manner. Sniffling, Tooru turned to find a small figure curl up beside him. Slender fingers tapped at the buttons of a gaming console, only to briefly pause as the boy glanced up at him shyly.  

The silent gesture soothed him somewhat – grounded him back to reality, and Tooru smiled to himself with a small inhale. It was a little easier to breathe. “T-Thank you.” He whispered and rubbed his nose on the sleeve of his sweater. 

The pudding-head simply nodded at him before turning back to his game, and the two spent the rest of the training session huddled up next to each other in silence. 

It wasn't until the club had broken up into groups to clean up the gym that Kuroo had looked up to the balcony and waved up at him. At least, he thought he'd been calling up to him, but the boy beside him suddenly shifted to stand, quickly scurrying down the stairs to greet the raven, who'd been standing next to his streaky-haired soulmate.  

"Oi Kenma~!" He heard Kuroo dragging out the last syllable of the pudding-head's name as the boy approached. He petted at the shorter man's hair affectionately, "Ready to go home?" 

Tooru blinked in surprise as he saw Kuroo lean down and drop a kiss to Kenma's forehead, and then as the other man nuzzled up against the faux blonde as well. It was rare to see soulmates have more than one other link. To see them connect so well together was a sight to see. For once he wasn't even jealous. He briefly wondered why he didn't care as much as he usually would, but after a short deliberation he shot up from the bench and rushed down the stairs, nearly tripping in his haste. 

He wasn't jealous because there was something else that mattered more than caring about other soulmates; his very own. 

Iwaizumi. 

 

* * *

 

There was a single problem standing in the way of being able to meet up with his soulmate; he had no way to contact him. So, impulsive as it was, he'd made the decision to go straight to Chuo by foot. It was a twenty-minute endeavour of which was spent huffing and puffing through the sidewalks of the city due to his lack of proper exercise in the past four years.  

Upon reaching the gate, he'd looked up at the daunting, large buildings and a sense of dread filled him. He didn't even know where to start looking on such a big campus. He turned to the first person who walked out of the gate, "Um, excuse me. Do you know a person called Iwaizumi Hajime that attends here?" He grabbed her hand to stop her from continuing forward. 

The stranger jolted at the contact but paused, tilting her head in thought. "Oh, Iwaizumi...? Nope, the name's not familiar. You can try going to the reception office though. It's straight down the left corridor of the grey brick building over there." She pointed over to the closest structure with a far too innocent smile upon her lips. Usually he would question this, but there were far more important things to do. The girl simply watched with a twinkle in her eye as he thanked her and began to walk away. She called after him, "Good luck!" 

Without further ado, he beelined to the reception and placed a determined hand down onto the counter. "I was wondering if you could search up Iwaizumi Haji – Iwa-chan!" He nearly jumped back as the figure before him registered in his mind. "W-What are you doing here?" 

His soulmate had frozen in his tracks, an open file in hand, blinking dumbfoundedly. "Oikawa?!" He blurted, "I work at the reception casually... what are you doing here?" 

"I came to find you!" Tooru responded. "But – I – er... I just didn't expect to see you here?" 

At this point, Iwaizumi was frowning deeply. "So, did you want to see me or not?" 

"I do! I do!" He amended. He looked down at his feet, the raven's tone reminding him of the unsavoury way they'd parted at the hospital. He felt nervous now; what if he didn't want him anymore?  

"Oikawa," the other man said softly, "I finish in five minutes, did you want to wait and talk?" 

The brunet looked up, grateful. "Yeah, that'd be nice." 

Waiting felt like forever when all Iwaizumi was doing was filing things away and printing off documents. But they pushed through, sparing each other the occasional glance, until the shorter of the two finally began turning everything off and flipping over a sign that sated the office hours were closed.  

When Iwaizumi finally exited the small open-space office, Tooru allowed himself to relax a little. "Hey." He greeted. 

Iwaizumi smiled, "Hey, are you hungry? There's a diner near here around ten minutes away. It opened recently, around a few months ago." 

"Can we go to the park instead?" Tooru asked. He was a little peckish, but his mind told him that the diner that the raven was suggesting was more likely than not Matsukawa's establishment. And he wasn't quite ready to run into the said owner and Hanamaki. 

No words were spoken as Iwaizumi agreed, and the two made their way to the fountain where they'd had their second meeting. Both were filled with nerves but were too caught up in their individual anxiety that neither noticed the torment the other was going through. The park was empty when they reached it, and the shorter of the two turned to face Tooru with a sharp inhale of air, seemingly more self-assured now that they weren't surrounded by anyone who could overhear. 

"Can I get straight to the point here?" 

"Y-yes?" Tooru squeaked. He wouldn't lie; confidence was a good look on his soulmate. 

"I actually was planning to come find you tomorrow. But I guess now's a good time too, so... hold still." Iwaizumi fished around in his pocket whilst simultaneously tugging at Tooru's wrist to pull his hand closer. The brunet watched as the other carefully smoothed a blue Band-Aid – littered with green aliens – around his ring finger. He smiled cautiously, a red tint to his cheeks as he scratched the back of his head. "Tooru, let me... let me heal you." 

"Iwa-chan." He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. Such a simple act had resonated within him, and the dull ache that had followed him around for the past few days seemed to fade away. "I'm not broken you know." 

"Yeah. But you've been hurting. I don't want things to be like that for you anymore." The man interlaced his fingers with Tooru's, squeezing lightly with a hopeful look in his eyes. "So, please?" 

The brunet felt the first tear slide down his cheek, and he used the sleeve of his free arm to wipe it away. His heart twisted with raw emotion at the thought of Iwaizumi being by his side – at the thought of accepting Iwaizumi as his soulmate. He wanted to be greedy. To live and grow old with him. More tears began to flow freely, but he simply let them trail tracks down his face as he looked toward Iwaizumi once more, conviction displayed in his shining orbs. "Okay," he breathed. The decision was far too easy.

 _"Show_ _me_ _what it's like to love."_  


	6. Appetence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _[Latin origin]: (n.). An eager desire, an instinctive inclination; an attraction or natural bond._

* * *

 

Two weeks, and Tooru could barely go an hour without having some form of contact with Iwaizumi. They were constantly texting, and Tooru wouldn't deny the flutter of his heart every time the man's name flashed upon the screen of his phone. Every day, Iwaizumi would ask him how he was feeling, or if he was still experiencing pain. 

A trip to Dr Sugawara had clarified a few things for him, and a different pill had been prescribed to him upon the basis that things were travelling well between him and his soulmate. The new medication was to be used sparingly; only to be taken if he and Iwaizumi were separated for more than two days. It was a breath of fresh air – this change in their schedules. Most of the time, Iwaizumi would meet him after class for lunch or dinner, or Tooru would meet him at Chuo to watch him training.  

Considering his sudden change in demeanour, it had taken little time for Hanamaki to notice how Tooru had become somewhat brighter, and happier. Another stifled giggle as the pair left their Mythology lecture as the brunet tapped away at his phone had him snap.  

Snatching the device away from his friend – who let out a strangled sound at the rough handling – Hanamaki scrolled through the message chain, wrinkling his nose at the content. He turned to the brunet, giving him an accusing glare. 

The boy pouted as if he knew what was coming. And boy, was he right. "Seriously?" The pink-haired boy hissed, "You find yourself a boyfriend and don't tell me? Who is this  _Iwa-chan_ anyway? Is he the guy that sent you to hospital?" 

"Makki..." Tooru groaned, reaching out and tugging his phone back into his hands. "It's not a big deal, I was going to tell you at some point anyway." He put some more distance between them, locking his phone and holding it protectively. The device chimed once more, the screen lighting up again. But this time, Tooru paid it no mind. 

Hanamaki sighed. Clearly, he didn't quite believe him, but decided to give the boy the benefit of the doubt. "So, when do I get to meet him then? Did he turn out to be your soulmate after all?" The stumble in his friend's step and the sudden redness of his cheeks told him everything. A sly grin spread across his face and he nudged Tooru cheekily. He opened his mouth, only to have the brunet lunge forward and cover it with his hand. 

"Shhh!!!" He hissed, practically squeezing Hanamaki's cheeks from the force his was using to keep the man's mouth shut. He huffed childishly. "Don't you dare say a word. I know you're about to say I told you so, but it's a... recent development. Okay?" He let go of Hanamaki once he was sure the boy would keep quiet and looked down at his shoes, shuffling in embarrassment. 

"Sure." The younger boy drawled, the word dripping with sarcasm. "But am I gonna meet him soon, or nah?" 

Tooru visibly hesitated, and Hanamaki stared him down, mildly offended. "Well..." He finally responded, "It's just..." 

"It's just  _what?_ "  

The brunet wailed, "You're going to corrupt him!" His voice was laden with mortification. "You  _and_  Mattsun! You're going to tell him all the embarrassing stories and stuff but I'm not ready for him to see my ugly side!" He exclaimed. A few people scattered across campus turned to look at them. 

Hanamaki's expression turned from one of shock, confusion, and then teary from his cackling laughter. He bent over, breathless, as Tooru whacked him on the arm with no remorse. Not that it'd really hurt, but at least his friend had ceased his laughter quickly after that. "Dude..." He gasped in between giggles, "He called you  _Shitty_ kawa once... I'm one-hundred percent sure that whatever I tell him won't make a difference to whatever he thinks of you." 

Tooru reeled back in surprise, "WHAT?! When did you hear about that?" He was pouting again. 

His friend merely rolled his eyes, "You're the one who told me about the fountain encounter, remember?" Tooru opened his mouth in response, then closed it again before crossing his arms and looking away. A hand reached out to pat him consolingly on the back, "Just ask him to come to Issei's diner tonight. It'll be like a double date." 

His words seemingly left no room for argument, and Tooru begrudgingly nodded his head once. At least he'll have the chance to show off his soulmate. 

 

* * *

 

The couple stood outside the diner, shivering slightly in the cool evening air. "Come on, let's go inside before you freeze to death." Iwaizumi tugged at Tooru's arm, but the boy stubbornly stayed put. His soulmate looked at him questioningly, "What is it?" 

He shrugged his shoulders noncommittedly, "I guess I'm a little nervous?" He muttered. He heard a soft huff of laughter before warm palms encased his cheeks and pulled his head down to touch foreheads and noses with Iwaizumi.  

"Tooru, there's literally nothing to worry about. No matter what they say, I'm not leaving you." Dark orbs stared straight into his own. "Got it?"  

"… yeah." He replied breathlessly. Tooru was then pulled by the shorter man into a warm hug, snuggling closely. He breathed in that earthy, musky scent that he'd grown to find comfort in – the scent that was purely Iwaizumi. 

"Good. Then let's not keep your friends waiting." 

From the opposite side, within the diner, the other pair of soulmates sat facing the window outside, watching the couple interact. Hanamaki rubbed his eyes, blinking feverishly. He elbowed Matsukawa in the ribs. “Do you... Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” 

“A domesticated, happily married Japanese couple with loving wife bentos included?” Came the dry reply. 

“No way, Oikawa can’t cook for shit.” 

“Well, who said that he was the wife?” Matsukawa gave him a lazy grin, eyes filled with mischief. 

The pink haired boy gasped, “Touché.” 

His own soulmate leaned back to casually drape his arm on the back of Hanamaki's chair, hand resting on his shoulder. Thick eyebrows wiggled at him, "Want me to make you a loving wife lunch?" 

"Hell yeah." 

The set of chairs across from their scraped upon the tiled floors as Tooru and Iwaizumi sat down. Tooru's eyes flickered between the two, "What's this? A rare display of public affection?"  

Hanamaki scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Well, it's not like you'd do the same with him." He gestured over to Iwaizumi, "I'm Hanamaki, and this is my soulmate, Matsukawa." He introduced. 

The shorter man reached out in a handshake, "Iwaizumi. I'm this guy's soulmate." He jerked a thumb at the man beside him. 

"I guess you pulled the short straw." Hanamaki returned with a cheeky smile. Tooru pulled back with a gasp. 

"What's that supposed to mean?!" He squawked. The rest of the table laughed. 

The four of them immersed themselves into friendly banter, the conversation drifting from topic to topic. It was almost as if Iwaizumi was the final piece to the odd friendship. They all balanced the group out evenly; Tooru with his dramatics, the couple of jokers, and Iwaizumi being the rationale and logic of the group.  

They had talked for nearly an hour before one of the waiters approached them cautiously, looking toward Matsukawa. "Boss? Would you like to order anything for you and your friends?" 

It was then when they realised they were quite hungry, and by the time the food had arrived, their mouths were too busy eating rather than talking. When Tooru finished his plate, he'd looked up and found the couple sitting opposite of him blissfully unaware of their surroundings.  

He turned to Iwaizumi with a hiss, "Iwa-chan, we can't let them beat us!" 

"What do you mean?" The said male turned to the brunet, confusion reflected in his eyes. 

Tooru gave him a light shoulder check before clinging to his shoulder, whispering into his ear, "We have to prove that we're the better couple!" He then leaned back and subtly tilted his head toward his friends. The other pair were pressed close together with muffled laughter.  

Iwaiazumi and Tooru blinked slowly as they watched Matsukawa reach up and brush a few crumbs off Hanamaki's cheek, whilst the other wrinkled his nose and clasped the curly haired boy's hand to remain on his cheek before the other could pull away. Tooru poked his tongue out, making a disgusted expression. 

"Are we even here right now?" He spoke, loudly. 

The other two pulled back with surprised expressions, seemingly having forgotten the double date that Hanamaki himself had proposed. "Oh," Matsukawa glanced over at the empty plates. "Are you ready for dessert?" 

Hanamaki straightened in his seat, eyes ablaze with excitement. "Cream puffs!"  

"Of course." His boyfriend replied immediately, turning in his chair to call someone over. 

And just like that, it was like Tooru and Iwaizumi had faded into the background once more. 

 

* * *

 

After dinner, the two had returned to Iwaizumi's apartment, having decided to stay the night together. It was late and both of them had already cleaned themselves up and gotten ready for bed. Once under the covers, Tooru had snuggled up to Iwaizumi, wrapping his arms around his torso and squeezing tightly. 

"I missed you." He pouted. 

Iwaizumi sifted his fingers through the boy's fluffy brown hair. "Hmm, I could feel it." 

"I'm glad that it's you I have, though." There was a pause, and there was a slight movement under the doona as Tooru shifted. 

Iwaizumi's eyes flickered to meet Tooru's as a soft, feathery touch traced over his bare chest. "What are you doing?" 

"Well, I just kind of wish I could have one too." He replied, taking in the colours of the soul mark upon Iwaizumi's skin. His own skin was left void of any blue from the mark, as his surgery and condition didn't give him the opportunity to develop his mark at the critical age in which all physical marks began to appear.  

"I'm still yours no matter what, though." Tooru looked up at those words, a genuine smile lighting up his face and warming up his whole body. 

"Iwa-chan..." He sniffled, burying his face into the solid body he was curled around. 

The two lay in silence for a while, relishing in the emotions that swirled between the two of them – their connection intricately unique from other soul bonds. 

The hand that was buried in Tooru's hair stilled, "What if... we got you a matching tattoo? Or we can design something else so I can get one with you?" The brunet's head popped up again, an unsure look upon his face at the thought of getting a needle pricked into his skin. Iwaizumi nodded at that, "Okay. Then we can find something else special to us that we can share." 

"Mmm, I like that idea better." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the epilogue (which won't be super long though)!  
> 


	7. Belle âme.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _[French]: Beautiful soul._  
>  Epilogue - 2 years later.

* * *

 

Tooru would forever burn the memory of this warm spring day into his mind. Spring signified new beginnings; the budding and growth of life. And the perfect flex of Hajime's biceps as the said man picked up yet another box out of the moving van and began to bring it up the stairs to their new – shared – apartment. That being said, that hadn't moved very far. It had been somewhat in between his old apartment with Sugawara and Hajime's old one. The two of them already had so much of their life laid out for them – Tooru with his internship, and Hajime with his graduate position.

It had been unfair that Hajime finished his studies a year earlier than him, but such was the woes of studying space and physics. 

Lost in thought, he missed Hajime emerging from their new home for the nth time, wiping away a light sheen of sweat from his forehead as he frowned down at his soulmate who sat prettily upon the curb. "Oi Shittykawa! Half of this stuff is yours, you know! Hurry up and grab a box."

"But Iwa-chan!" The brunet pouted, looking up at the balcony. "It took me two hours to style my hair today! I'm not going to let this kind of manual labour ruin it!" 

"That's  _exactly_  why we're running late! We only rented the moving truck for five hours and most of that was spent waiting for you to do your damn hair!" Hajime shouted back. Except there was little malice behind his words.

Tooru smiled, knowing that his soulmate wasn't actually angry. Besides, he had been the one to tell him to take it easy on moving day. As a physical therapist the man had easily picked up on whenever Tooru's knee acted up. And, since he knew that it was still a rather sore topic for Tooru, he had said nothing and promptly ordered him to rest. 

If anything, Tooru was extremely grateful that Hajime understood him so well. During the past two years, through their petty arguments and reminiscent nights, their bond had grown and strengthened to the point that they could almost read each other's mind. 

His favourite thing to do was curl up close to his soulmate, ear pressed to his chest as his felt their heart slowly sync with each other. Being dependent upon the man he loved was no inconvenience. It was something precious to him and made him feel like he belonged. 

He watched as Hajime exited their apartment once more, jogging down the stairs and back to the truck. A soft glow seemed to surround the shorter man, a warm white that had Tooru instinctually wanting to reach out toward it. This, he had grown used to and embraced with all his might.

With a wide smile, Tooru stood up from the curb, brushing himself off quickly before jogging over. "Hajime! When you're done, let's go to the park!"

" _Hah?!_ " 

 

* * *

 

The coin dropped into the water with a soft splash, and Tooru made to close his eyes before a presence behind them alerted him.

"Oh my! How lovely to see such a strong bond!" 

"Pardon?"

The lady stepped closer, gesturing to the small space between them. "Your red string... I've never seen one so vibrantly alive before! How wonderful that you've managed to find one another!"

"Oh, thank you!" Tooru flushed, smiling brightly. Hajime placed an arm around his waist and pulled him closer. Their eyes met, alight and full of glee.

She then hesitated, looking over their shoulders at the old fountain with murky water with a slight frown. "Although, I must say... you two boys do know that, that fountain isn't for making wishes, right?"

Another shared smile, as two hearts beat in time. "We know. But it's  _our_  thing."

Quickly, Tooru turned back around to see the coin just begin sink below the surface; almost as if it had waited for him.

_Today, I don't have a wish... but I want to thank you for everything. Especially for the beautiful soul beside me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for stick with me these past few months! To all my readers - I'm so grateful that you even clicked into my story and followed along!!  
> I hope you have enjoyed reading this fic (*^▽^*)

**Author's Note:**

> The next chapters are very likely to be late, since I currently have a lot of assignments and tests to get through... :(  
> Sorry!  
> My [tumblr](https://eelora.tumblr.com/)


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